'Rapist left woman to die'

A "Jekyll and Hyde" rapist's lengthy reign of terror against two lovers ended when he left one of them to die in a blood-splattered bedroom, a court heard today.

The 21-year-old's head was repeatedly smashed so violently against a wall, the back of her "severely fractured" skull was turned into a "boggy mass".

Her screams and the blows that were to put her in a month-long coma were so loud they woke a neighbour.

She immediately called police, and, in doing so, probably saved her life.

But in order to reach the "grievously injured" woman, officers first had to break down Anthony Neal's front door, London's Southwark Crown Court was told.

Mark Fenhalls, prosecuting, said Neal's alleged victim was found lying on her back completely naked.

Paramedics arrived minutes later and quickly realised her injuries were "very serious indeed".

"There was a boggy mass to the rear of her head and obviously she had suffered a fractured skull," counsel added.

He told jurors she was put on oxygen and taken to hospital where she underwent repeated operations as surgeons battled to save her life.

She remained in a coma for four weeks before finally recovering enough to tell police of the repeated rapes and assaults she allegedly suffered at Neal's hands.

The court heard as officers had waited for her to regain consciousness, they learned of another ex-girlfriend he is also accused of attacking.

The 25-year-old was to speak of his "abusive, violent and horrible" treatment and claimed she, too, had been raped by the defendant.

Neal, from Poplar, east London, denies one count of attempted murder, another of grievous bodily harm with intent, three charges of "assault by beating" and eight sample allegations of rape against the first woman between December 2003 and August last year.

He also pleads not guilty to two counts of rape involving the second - one two days before Christmas 2000 and the other shortly afterwards on New Year's Day.